2020 is a year like no other, and I believe it’s a great time to try shopping a little differently. Instead of purchasing gifts from the big name companies and e-commerce stores, it’s the perfect opportunity to support the smaller companies … the ones who put love and care into the creation of their products. The companies whose mission is a sustainable one, and that are focused on offering products that give backand are good for the planet.
So, let’s say “goodbye” to non-sustainable products this holiday season and “hello” to earth-friendly alternatives … good for you, your loved ones, and the planet.
Here are some of my top eco-friendly picks from Free the Ocean for this holiday season – and best yet, each purchase funds the removal of plastic from the ocean and coastlines.
Packaged in 100% pcw recycled paperboard, and specially formulated into a savory array of 5 scented flavors, these lip therapy balms are candy for your lips.
Each purchase of a lip balm funds the removal of 10 pieces of plastic from the ocean and coastlines. BONUS: A baby sea turtle is saved for every lip balm purchased (a set of five = five baby turtles saved!). SHOP NOW
In support of Free the Ocean’s mission to clean up the ocean and reduce plastic use, each month we feature a selection from their plastic-free shop. We do not earn a commission from these links.
We have a profoundly perplexing plastic pollution problem. Consider these statistics from the World Economic Forum:
Of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the U.S. in 2021, only 5% to 6%—or about two million tons—was recycled.
About 98% of single-use plastic products are made from fossil fuels.
Globally, we produce about 400 million tons of plastic waste yearly.
Between 75 and 199 million tons of plastic are currently in our oceans.
You are likely familiar with the scope of the problem. Maybe you’ve switched to a reusable water bottle or have gone even further with a zero waste lifestyle. But even for the most plastic-averse among us, there are a number of products for which it is hard to find plastic-free options that do the job.
In these instances, we like to turn to Free The Ocean’s plastic-free shop. The items have been vetted by the site, and every purchase funds the removal of plastic from the ocean. It could be argued that shopping here doubles your impact.
About the trickier zero waste items to shop for—and the ones featured below—Free The Ocean founder Mimi Ausland says, “All of these products typically come in plastic packaging and/or contain toxic ingredients harmful to you and the planet. And, of course, ours contain none of the above!”
The beauty and personal care industry has a plastic problem—and finding sustainable workarounds for these kinds of products has proven challenging. But not for everyone! Blue Heron Botanicals makes high-quality, small-batch products using 100% home-compostable, recyclable, or reusable packaging. As in, no more plastic tubes for lip balms.
Their Lip Therapy balms are ultra-rich lip conditioners formulated to keep lips hydrated with a creamy blend of botanical butter and oils, perfect everyday beauty.
Bonus! A baby sea turtle is saved for every balm purchased.
Our list of must-have items for all-natural summer fun.
Sure, summertime can mean sticky, too-hot-to-think-days, but with these low-key summer essentials, you’ll be keeping your cool, no matter the weather!
Protect your pucker all summer long with Blue Heron Healing Lip Therapy. Made from deeply nourishing ingredients, these balms are like summer in your pocket (but guaranteed not to melt there!). Available in juicy berries, citruses, and mint, the totally adorable packaging is made from 100% PCW recycled paper and is home compostable! And with every purchase, a baby sea turtle is saved! True story! blueheronbotanicals.com
Sustainable skin care brands in California flood the market, but many don’t have much of a following. The Sunshine State of the West Coast has an abundance of natural ingredients, from organic produce and seafood to herbs and flowers. It makes sense that so many skin care companies have taken advantage of California’s bounty.
How do you find the best match for your skin among a barrage of brands claiming their products are vegan and work best for sensitive skin? Natural skin care appeared in history long before synthetic ingredients dominated the industry. Ancient Greeks used olives, milk, honey and other products as exfoliants, moisturizers and anti-aging creams. Today, both makeup and skin care often contain harmful products like alcohol, GMOs and hormone disruptors, and unless you do your homework, you’re likely coating your face with them. Some of these ingredients may have long term effects on your health.
If you need help decoding the contents of your daily face routine, check out Environmental Working Group (EWG), a community of scientists, policy experts, lawyers and communications and data experts advocating for education and transparency regarding what we put on and in our bodies. They have compiled an impressive amount of research so that you can make safe choices with ease.
You can also check out this list of sustainable skin care brands in California that live up to their promises to customers. What do we think qualifies as sustainable? Plastic-free, low waste and cruelty-free companies with clean, all-natural ingredients. Vegan products get bonus points. QTBIPOC and women-owned companies get gold stars. Plus, supporting communities most affected by environmental degradation is sustainable.
Blue Heron Botanicalsis a woman-owned company with a zero waste, plastic-free policy. They operate off the grid from their farm in Humboldt County, California. Their ingredients include a variety of local, organic and sustainably harvested botanicals. They create products with hand-picked herbs and organic oils in small batches for potency and effectiveness. Their line of lip therapies has two versions – one with beeswax and one that’s vegan. The packaging is zero waste and all products arrive in backyard compostable packaging made from 100% post-consumer paper. A portion of profit is donated to SEE Turtles and the Billion Baby Turtle Initiative. Support Blue Heron Botanicals to protect baby sea turtles while investing in self-care.
Blue Heron Botanicals ticks off a checklist of consumer musts in this era of conscious, clean beauty and sustainable packaging.
The female-owned, made in the USA, small business is a 100% plastic-free, zero waste, all USDA certified organic lip therapy and skin balm brand that advocates for an “entirely sustainable natural beauty industry.”
The brand additionally takes its support for Mother Nature one step further, donating a portion of its proceeds to saving baby sea turtles.
The California-based brand was founded by 15-year veteran horticulturalist Theora Jackson, who named Blue Heron in ode to her youth on the Lake Champlain Islands of Vermont, which she says “deepened her love of Mother Earth and is where she fell in love with the Great Blue Heron—a much anticipated symbol of Spring on the lake.”
Small-Batch Formulas with Medicinal Herbs
Jackson prides herself on Blue Heron Botanicals’ all-original formulas, which are created using all-natural, hand-picked ingredients.
Products include Organic Lip Therapy (available in Pacific Mint and Cali Orange), Healing Lip Therapy (Lavender and Lemon Balm flavors), Tinted Lip Therapy (Ruby Red Grapefruit), Vegan Lip Therapy (Pacific Peppermint and unflavored Coastal Berry), Tattoo Aftercare Balm and Wound Warrior Balm.
Each product is small-batch produced to ensure potency, quality, and effectiveness. Ethically sourced from local farmers, her own herb garden, or wild harvested (intentionally supporting the containment of invasive species), Blue Heron Botanicals’ products are organic and fair trade certified, nontoxic and chemical-free.
Formulas use “time-honored” medicinal herbs (e.g. beeswax, calendula, coconut oil, comfrey, peppermint, tea tree, and more). Lip products feature a creamy blend of botanical butters and oils—beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter and other lip soothing oils—but they will not melt in your pocket.
From harvest to production to packaging, each step is done with sustainability in mind and a commitment to reducing the use of plastics in the natural body care industry. Oils and herbs are infused using solar power—in fact Jackson’s entire farm and facility is powered using solar energy.
Zero-Waste Packaging Is a Priority
For its skin care offerings, Blue Heron Botanicals uses 100% compostable, biodegradable paper balm tubes made from post-consumer waste paper, replacing more commonly used plastic tubes and tins. The brand says these components provide excellent product protection and are convenient to use.
The paper eco-friendly squeeze lip balm tubes are smooth and tapered and are made from post-consumer waste paper, an alternative to typical lip balm tubes made from petroleum plastics. The fitted caps as well as the tubes are constructed with a naturally coated (not plastic), oil resistant paper barrier appropriate for the brand’s all-natural lip balm recipes.
According to Blue Heron, “Paper is the most successfully recycled post-consumer material, is inherently carbon neutral and is easily composted, making it the most sustainable packaging material available today. The brand says grease resistant paper packaging often contains fluorocarbons (PFCs) PFOA and PFOS, which have been shown to be persistent chemicals, both in the environment and in human tissue.”
Blue Heron Botanicals paper lip balm tubes contain no fluorinated chemicals and utilize a naturally grease-resistant biodegradable adhesive and tree-free sugar cane fiber that is suitable for home composting.
Additionally, says Jackson, their tubes “do not contaminate products with phthalates, bisphenols (BPA) or other chemicals found in plastics that are raising concerns about commonly used plastic packaging.”
Blue Heron Botanicals lip balm tubes weigh 1.7 grams and are made in the USA, making their carbon footprint minimal. The larger 1oz. skin balm tubes are slightly more common, featuring a push-up design and are made from a blend of 60%/40% recycled paper and FSC virgin paper.
The inside coating of plant-based wax makes them oil resistant and home compostable. These larger tubes as well as all labeling are also made in North America.
“Our world faces an ever-growing plastics pollution problem,” says Jackson. “I wanted to create a product line made from ingredients that are good for the body, and packaging that is good for the environment.
From hand-harvested, locally sourced ingredients and solar-powered manufacturing to 100% plastic-free and recyclable packaging, Blue Heron Botanicals is focused on providing the highest quality products with the smallest carbon footprint.”
Jackson says the initial challenge with these tubes was ensuring barrier properties were adequate and the product was the right consistency to dispense properly from the tube yet soft enough to be easily applied to the lips or skin.
Design considerations included ease of use, sizing similar to a regular lip balm tube, tight-fitting lid/adequate barrier function, resistance to oil stains, sturdy enough to last the life of the product and renewable options (composting/recycling) for its end of life.
Another significant component was consumer education—teaching “natural beauty” fans about the true environmental impact their brands may have.
What is ‘Blue Beauty’?
Blue Heron Botanicals embodies what is called “Blue Beauty.” This term is inclusive of all that is loved by green beauty enthusiasts, explains Jackson—high quality minimally processed ingredients that are effective, naturally derived, selected with attention to production, cruelty free, and ethically sourced.
“Blue Beauty goes a step further to include innovative sustainable packaging solutions and philanthropy. There is an added concern for our oceans and targeted focus on preservation to combat the impact of plastics pollution,” she says.
Blue Heron Botanicals ranges in price from $8 – $18; bundles and gift sets are also available.
Vegan Lip Therapy in Coastal Berry is made with botanical sourced Candelilla wax and super antioxidant seed oils of Red Raspberry and Cranberry. These oils are packed with skin nourishing omega fatty acids and vitamin E. Red Raspberry seed oil provides natural UV protection with an estimated SPF of 28-50*! Shea and cocoa butter impart their buttery emollient properties for a seriously smooth lip balm. This new favorite is a great multitasker and can be used as a nourishing balm for the delicate skin around the eye. Packaging is plastic-free, home compostable and made from 100% PCW recycled paper! Price: MSRP $8.00 (plus taxes and shipping).
When you launch an innovative product, most people won’t immediately recognize or even know what you are selling. You will need to do a massive amount of consumer education and continue to do so all the time as you reach new customers. When I began Blue Heron Botanicals, many consumers still did not understand the full environmental impact of the beauty industry’s plastic packaging. Creating the product was not sufficient without educating customers about the underlying issues.
Aspart of my series about companies who are helping to battle climate change, I had the pleasure of interviewing Theora Jackson, a 15-year veteran horticulturalist and founder of Blue Heron Botanicals — a certified organic, all-natural lip and skin therapy brand — is a small business owner and pioneer in sustainable natural beauty. Rooted in a reverence for Mother Nature, Blue Heron Botanicals adheres to the highest standards of sustainability, with locally sourced ingredients, solar-powered manufacturing facilities, and 100% plastic-free compostable and reusable packaging. With a built-in charitable initiative, the brand takes its commitment to the environment one step further, donating a portion of each purchase to the Billion Baby Turtles Initiative and saving one baby turtle with every product sold.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Blue Heron Botanicals is a passion project rooted in my youth spent living in the Lake Champlain Islands of Vermont. Growing up in a quaint island town nestled between the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont II learned the importance of responsible and sustainable living at a young age.
While studying Plant and Soil Science at the University of Vermont, I had the opportunity to intern with a local Burlington based herbalist where I focused my studies on herbs for skincare and began to create small batch salves and balms. I gravitated towards these types of products due to seasonal harsh weather and a need within my own family for a remedy.
Developing my Wound Warrior balm and later the lip therapy line, I got my start selling these products at farmers markets, craft fairs and festivals. In the spring of 2015, I decided I wanted to turn this side hustle into a viable business. I believed I had crafted a product line that people needed and one that filled a void in the market. At that time, the beauty and wellness industry had become saturated with so-called “natural, clean and green” products. I knew I had created authentic, higher quality products that true natural beauty fans would appreciate. At this time, I had also become hyper aware of the growing plastic pollution problem (hello Great Pacific Garbage Patch!) and the dichotomy between these “green” products and their packaging. If I was going to offer my products on a larger scale, I had to remain mindful of its carbon footprint and was determined to raise my business to the highest level of sustainability. Blue Heron Botanicals uses only organic and sustainably sourced ingredients, zero waste & plastic free packaging and gives back to an environmental cause I am passionate about.
What is the mission of your company? What problems are you aiming to solve?
Blue Heron Botanicals mission is to create products using the highest quality ingredients in small batches to ensure potency, quality and effectiveness. Whole herbs are handpicked and infused into organic oils using the warmth and energy of the sun. Only natural preservatives are used ensuring that our products are fresh, safe, and good for your skin. Each blend utilizes superior quality medicinal herbs, essential oils and carrier oils selected for their unique healing qualities. Our products are formulated to encourage the skin’s natural ability to heal itself. We are committed to reducing the use of plastic within the natural body care industry and utilize innovative eco-friendly packaging.
Can you tell our readers about the initiatives that you or your company are taking to address climate change or sustainability? Can you give an example for each?
Blue Heron Botanicals uses 100% compostable, biodegradable paper balm tubes made from post-consumer waste paper, replacing more commonly used plastic tubes and tins. They provide excellent product protection and are convenient to use. The paper eco-friendly squeeze lip balm tubes are smooth and tapered and are made from post-consumer waste paper, a preferred alternative to typical lip balm tubes made from petroleum plastics. The fitted caps as well as the tubes are constructed with a naturally coated (not plastic), oil resistant paper barrier appropriate for our all natural lip balm recipes.
Paper is the most successfully recycled post-consumer material, is inherently carbon neutral and is easily composted, making it the most sustainable packaging material available today. Grease resistant paper packaging often contains Fluorocarbons (PFCs) PFOA and PFOS, which have been shown to be persistent chemicals, both in the environment and in human tissue. Blue Heron Botanicals paper lip balm tubes contain NO fluorinated chemicals and utilize a naturally grease resistant biodegradable adhesive and tree free sugar cane fiber that is suitable for home composting. Additionally, Blue Heron Botanicals tubes do not contaminate products with phthalates, bisphenols (BPA) or other chemicals found in plastics that are raising widespread health concerns about commonly used plastic packaging.
Blue Heron Botanicals lip balm tubes weigh 1.7 grams and are made in the USA making their carbon footprint minimal. The larger 1 oz skin balm tubes are slightly more common, featuring a push up design and made from a blend of 60%/40% recycled paper and FSC virgin paper. The inside is coated with a plant-based wax that makes them oil resistant and home compostable. These larger tubes as well as all labeling are also made in North America.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
Today’s consumers are and should continue to be more mindful of their carbon footprint, including the brands they choose to patron. A key component of our brand is to educate beauty brands and their customers about the ways they can establish more sustainable manufacturing and purchasing practices. This mission reverberates and is relevant across all industries and should increasingly become the norm rather than a revolving trend.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
When you launch an innovative product, most people won’t immediately recognize or even know what you are selling. You will need to do a massive amount of consumer education and continue to do so all the time as you reach new customers. When I began Blue Heron Botanicals, many consumers still did not understand the full environmental impact of the beauty industry’s plastic packaging. Creating the product was not sufficient without educating customers about the underlying issues.
Social media IS all it’s cracked up to be and one of the best ways to build your audience. For small businesses like mine, social media is an invaluable tool and a way to build and stay engaged with your customers, partners and other like-minded brands.
Selling is dynamic and always changing. A formula that worked for someone else may not work for you. Figure out where your customers get their information, what messages resonate with them and ways they shop. Be flexible and adapt your business model.
If you want to actually make money as an entrepreneur, you have to invest time. A lot of it.
No one is ever going to be as excited or passionate about your business as you. You will have to be your own cheerleader most of the time.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Before she died my grandmother was very excited about my business. She saw that I had written a plan and knew I was serious and made a point to ask me about it every time I talked to her. No one else has ever done that. It was the support I needed at the time to keep going and has kept up my motivation even after her passing.
I also made valuable connections with local entrepreneurs in my area. Finding a mentor who has experience with several businesses has been so helpful. Again, giving me the motivation to do things that I might have never done otherwise. For me having a little sense of accountability or someone to report to helped me keep moving forward and stay focused.
You are a person of great influence and doing some great things for the world! If you could inspire a movement that would bring the greatest amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
This is a huge question, but the first thing that popped into my mind was kindness. The world more than ever needs more kindness. I am thinking back to those stickers that used to say “Practice random acts of kindness and senseless beauty”, the world needs more of that right now. Kindness to ourselves, each other, the earth and all its inhabitants. If we could shift our collective consciousness to more kindness I think we could reduce the amount of suffering in the world today.
Do you have a favorite life lesson quote? Can you tell us how that was relevant to you in your own life?
“You never know.” This has become my own mantra and helps me deal with all the uncertainty of life while at the same time embracing the here and now. You never know what each day will bring. You never know when something tragic or miraculous will happen. Planning can help, but life will always throw you curveballs. This is how we learn and grow. It also helps me appreciate what I have in front of me and allows me to enjoy the seemingly mundane even if just for a brief moment. It is a personal reminder to focus on living my best life because it is indeed a journey and can go in any direction I choose…..or not! Learn, adapt, enjoy the process.
What is the best way for people to follow you on social media?
“As I scaled my business up, I committed myself to the highest level of sustainability I could imagine: organic and sustainably sourced ingredients, zero waste and plastic-free packaging, and giving back to an environmental cause. ”
— THEORA JACKSON
Theora Owner Of Blue Heron
Blue Heron Botanicals is a sustainable and ethically-conscious skin care brand that strives to make a positive impact on the planet while providing products made from high-quality natural ingredients. Some of the brand’s popular products include balms, salves, and lip therapy. Not only is Blue Heron’s packaging pretty, but it is also plastic-free and features eco-tubes that are 100% biodegradable and home compostable. We caught up with founder Theora Jackson to learn more about the story behind Blue Heron Botanicals and some of the steps the brand is taking to honor nature.
Can you share a little about your background and what inspired you to launch your collection?
Blue Heron Botanicals is the passion project born to me while I lived on the Lake Champlain Islands of Vermont. Growing up in a quaint island town nestled between the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont, I learned the importance of responsible and sustainable living at a young age.
While studying plant and soil science at the University of Vermont, I received an incredible opportunity to intern with a local Burlington-based herbalist. During my internship. I focused my studies on herbs for skin care and began to create small batch salves and balms, gravitating towards these types of products to fill a need for a remedy to the harsh conditions to which our skin was seasonally subjected.
During this internship, I conceived the recipe for my landmark product Wound Warrior, and the seed of my redwood-sized dream of a sustainable beauty brand was planted. Inspired by the life and teachings of renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, I knew that a journey westward was my destiny. As a young herbalist in training, the Pacific Northwest called strongly to me and is ultimately where I found my truth and settled into my identity as a healer, practicing massage therapy, yoga, and herbalism.
I found a home for my products at local farmers markets, craft fairs, and festivals, and in the spring of 2015, decided I wanted to turn my side hustle into a viable business. As I watched the beauty and wellness market around me become saturated with so-called “natural, clean and green” products, I was inspired to create something different and authentic. During that time, I had also become hyper aware of the plastic pollution problem (hello Great Pacific Garbage Patch!) and the dichotomy between these “green” products and their packaging. As I scaled my business up, I committed myself to the highest level of sustainability I could imagine: organic and sustainably sourced ingredients, zero waste, and plastic-free packaging, and giving back to an environmental cause.
Do you have a signature product or a favorite?
Balms are where it’s at for Blue Heron Botanicals. Currently, I have five varieties of lip balm and will soon be releasing a sixth that is vegan and unscented for those with sensitive skin. I also offer a couple of skin-healing herbal balms. The Tinted Lip Therapy is our best seller, closely followed by Herbal Lip Therapy. These lip balms are both solar-infused with botanical herbs to impart color (tinted) and healing properties (herbal), and part of what makes them so effective and good for your lips. Wound Warrior is also a longtime favorite as a skin-soothing multitasker and smells amazing.
How do you source the ingredients in your products and do you consider your products to be “clean” beauty?
All of our products are safe, effective, and made with fresh, high-quality ingredients derived from nature. They are created using time-honored traditional methods of making herbal medicine. Our ingredients are chosen specifically for their natural healing qualities, as well as being minimally processed and are all locally sourced, certified organic, fair trade certified, sustainably wild harvested, and/or grown in our own garden.
We highlight and source regional ingredientstocreate the foundation of our products. We start looking in Northern California and work our way out. Ingredients such as sweet orange, grapefruit, lemon, lavender, and mint essential oils, extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, and beeswax are all sourced within the state. By focusing on ingredients that are produced within the United States, we are greatly reducing our carbon footprint and supporting our local economy.
I absolutely consider our products to be “clean.” Most of the ingredients we use are whole plant botanicals that are minimally processed. There is no need for harsh preservatives or emulsifiers as we do not make any products that contain water. We only need natural preservatives such as vitamin E, rosemary extract, and essential oils to keep our products fresh and recommend they be used within two years.
We believe in transparency and have all ingredients clearly listed on our website along with their origin and a brief description of healing qualities on our botanicals page.
What steps does your brand take towards being sustainably conscious?
Our products have always been made with reverence for planet Earth and all of its inhabitants.
Blue Heron Botanicals strives to reduce our impact on the earth while positively impacting our community by creating wellness products that are good for your body and the planet.
As mentioned previously, we highlight and source local ingredients to create the foundation of our products. Utilizing the highest-quality organic, fair trade, and sustainably wild-harvested ingredients ensures all of our raw materials are grown and hand picked with care, thus providing the most potent healing qualities a plant can offer.
All of our packaging is 100% home compostable and recyclable. Our innovative tubes replace the commonly used plastic lip balm tubes and salve tins. This makes our Lip Therapies and Healing Herbal Balms zero waste products!
We are powered by renewable energy. Our main office is off-grid and 100% powered by solar energy. We respect our natural resources and use as little power and water as possible while creating our products. This means that all of our herbal infused oils are solar-infused. A slow, time-honored method of extracting the medicinal properties from herbs; never cooked on a stove top or in a crock pot.
Lastly, we are committed to waste reduction, using only what is necessary for packing and shipping. We use 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper and FSC sustainably-sourced wood for all of our displays, packaging, business cards, and other paper needs.
Every decision that is made from sourcing to shipping is done with sustainability in mind.
How is the brand involved with sea turtle conservation?
Environmental conservation is built into our business philosophy. We are a proud sponsor of the Billion Baby Sea Turtles initiative through SEE Turtles. Every product we sell helps save one baby sea turtle hatchling. This giving model ensures we always give back regardless of company profits. The Billion Baby Turtles program helps protect important nesting beaches around the world, ensuring that the hatchlings make it to the water. To date, the program has helped save more than 3 million hatchlings at more than 30 important nesting beaches around the world.
Are there any other sustainable brands or founders that have inspired you?
As a lip balm brand, Roxanne Quimby of Burt’s Bees has always been an inspiration. I grew up on the East Coast, so Burt’s was big there early on. She put natural lip balm on the map and now it’s the best-selling brand of lip balm in the world! Her story is incredible and she is using her financial success to give back with her land conservation efforts. More recently, Tiila Abbitt of Aether Beauty and Ericka Rodriguez of Axiology have both done amazing things by bringing the concept of sustainability in products and packaging to the forefront of the beauty industry. Both have a strong commitment to sustainability and are working hard to create change within the industry.
Wellness tip?
Get a good night’s sleep. Your body absolutely needs that time to rest and restore.
Favorite ways to relax?
My favorite free ways are long hot baths or getting out for some fresh air at the beach or in the woods. If it’s in my budget, nothing beats a good massage or facial.
Best advice?
Get your sleep and do things in your own time. All too often we can get caught up in comparison and achieving goals within certain time frames. Life is a trip; you never know what will come along and it’s important to be kind to yourself and understand your journey is uniquely yours and life is unfolding exactly as it is meant to. Balance is so important, so make sure you are allowing time for self-care and to connect with those you love.
Where can people find you on social media?
I am most active on Instagram: @blueheronbotanicals. You can find me under the same name on Facebook and TikTok if you are curious.
[Images courtesy of Blue Heron Botanicals]
Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she’s not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar.
There’s something undeniably therapeutic about unboxing a brand-new product. (We speak for beauty lovers.) It’s that mesmerizing moment when you slowly remove the outer plastic, open the box, and pull out a shiny new bottle. It can practically change your life… it’s the stuff of ASMR dreams. And yet: We are in the midst of an urgent climate crisis, and all that packaging — the plastic, the bubble wrap, the box, the bottle — has started to add up.
The amount of end-of-life plastic packaging, which includes bottles, jars, bags, and “other,” surrounding U.S. products has increased by over 120 times since 1960. In 2018, in the U.S. alone, almost 7.9 billion units of rigid plastic were created just for beauty and personal care products, according to Euromonitor International. So despite our best efforts, 91 percent of plastic has ended up in landfills anyway, according to a 2017 study.
But brands are working to improve these numbers — and make it easy for you to do the same. In particular, a crop of compostable (and sophisticated) products is leading the charge to make your beauty routine less wasteful.
Much like composting food, these products can be tossed directly into your household compost bin or brought to your local composting facility or farmer’s market. And in just a few short months, they’ll have completely decomposed — just how Mother Nature intended them to.
Read on for skin, hair, and makeup products that are seriously upping the bar.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Blue Heron Botanicals Tinted Lip Therapy
Not only is this lip tint’s powerful nourishing punch derived from shea and cocoa butter, but the Blue Heron Botanicals Tinted Lip Therapy’s shiny, ruby hue comes from the herb alkanet root — and the sturdy, recycled paper tube holds 40 percent more product than your run-of-the-mill lip balm. Bonus points for the refreshing pink grapefruit flavor, which makes it feel infinitely less “crunchy” to swipe on.
When I first started trying to reduce my waste in 2014, there weren’t many organic, zero waste skin care brands on the market.
While the organic skin care market was doing pretty well, I wasn’t enticed by a lot of their packaging.
t’s not that they didn’t care about their packaging, but there wasn’t a collective conscious around the dangers of single-use plastics.
Consumers weren’t asking for plastic-free and zero waste products so brands weren’t providing them. Thankfully, that has changed! A LOT.
In fact, there are so many awesome clean, low-waste, plastic free, sustainable, all-natural, organic skin care brands on the market that I had a really hard time trying to narrow it down to just 20.
on’t be surprised if I add to this list as time goes on because there are so many awesome brands out there doing amazing things.
In this post, I’m sharing a few of my favorite brands as well as some new ones I’ve recently discovered and want to try.
Blue Heron Botanicals is a woman owned zero waste, plastic-free skin care company operated in Northern California – totally off-grid.
All of their high-quality products use a wide range of local, organic, and sustainably harvested botanicals.
And, if that’s not the coolest thing you’ve ever heard… wait for it. They just launched a new line of lip therapies – a version with beeswax and one that’s vegan.
The packaging is zero waste featuring backyard compostable packaging made from 100% post-consumer paper.
And, for every product sold, they SAVE A BABY SEA TURTLE.
Yes, you read that correctly. They’re partnered with the Billion Baby Turtles initiative through SEE Turtles.
